Cycling through Rajasthan

Rajasthan has landscapes varying from green rolling hills to barren deserts. The whole state is dotted with dramatic fortresses and the countryside is a patchwork of villages and towns where we see the timelessness of rural India. From the captivating Mehrangarh Fort at Jodhpur, the lakeside palace of Udaipur, the holy town of Pushkar and onto the superb 'pink city' of Jaipur, each place has its own story to tell. A fitting way to finish the trip is at the magnificent Taj Mahal. Cycling is the perfect way to explore Rajasthan, offering a fascinating insight into the traditional way of life here.

We spend 13 nights in a mixture of comfortable and standard hotels, most with swimming pools. One night is spent on an overnight air-conditioned sleeper train.



Hotels in India usually do not have heating as there are only a couple of months in the year when the weather can get rather cold. You can, however, request more blankets or the hotel may be able to provide a standing heater for your room. Please talk to your tour leader if you need help in this matter. Some hotels we use on this trip may have swimming pools; however, these are not heated.



Overnight train journeys



[caption id="attachment_120297" align="alignnone" width="416"] Sleeper Train[/caption]



The overnight sleeper train from Delhi to Jodhpur will be booked in two-tier sleeper with air conditioning (or three-tier if two-tier is not available). There are many excellent trains in India but the standard of seating and sleeping is not in line with Western standards. Seats are allocated when the tickets are issued, meaning we cannot guarantee the whole group is together in the same carriage; your leader will manage this as best as possible and will always check on you during the journey.



Indian trains are safe but we recommend you keep valuables with you at all times as the sleeper compartments are open with curtains for privacy along the aisle. Snacks are often offered on board (at an additional cost) but you may wish to purchase your own food before the journey. While some trains have Western-style facilities, the majority of services are equipped with squat toilets.



Please note, trains are sometimes delayed for reasons beyond our control, but we endeavour to minimise the impact of these delays on the overall itinerary.



Worth knowing



Accommodation in Pushkar during the festival departure will be provided in Swiss cottage tents (canvas tents designed to emulate Swiss cottages) with attached bathroom facilities. All meals will be included.

Hotels in India usually do not have heating as there are only a couple of months when the weather can get cold. You can, however, request more blankets if needed or the hotel may be able to provide a standing heater for your room. Please talk to your tour leader if you need help in this matter.

Its common for hotels in India to have limited times in the day for hot water use to save energy. If you find your shower is cold, please let your leader or reception know so they can make sure the water heater is on.

Sleeper trains are not enclosed compartments, bed bunks are set up within a carriage with curtains for some privacy.

Within the sleeper train, you may be sharing a compartment of four beds with members of the public depending on how the seats are allocated.

Single accommodation supplement excludes sleeper trains